We have preliminary Publisher Roundtable feedback!

Monday, July 28th, 2014

Our second Publisher Roundtable is live! This edition focuses on monetization. The survey is ongoing, but we’re eager to share preliminary feedback!

Findings show the most popular method for publishers to monetize their sites are ad networks. When choosing a network, publishers focus on traffic quality. And before engaging long term, general consensus is that publishers should test a network for 1.5 months.

Another interesting finding: content-targeted ads are used more frequently than either affiliate networks or brand sponsorship. These also generate the highest percentage of revenue for publishers. You might infer that publishers are therefore most satisfied with this format, but that’s not the case. Publishers are most satisfied with brand sponsorships. This discrepancy begs a question: if people are most satisfied with brand sponsorships, why aren’t they using them more often?

Survey results suggest it’s not because they don’t want to, it’s that they don’t know how to do so effectively. The majority of publishers (40%) graded themselves a C at monetization. Half stated monetization is harder than expected.

It’s critically important that information be accessible to publishers so they can learn how to monetize their content effectively without having to disrupt the user experience with other means of monetization such as content targeted banner ads. Native advertising tools such as the array VigLink products allow you to monetize your site without interrupting the user experience. We hope you utilize the series of interviews to gain intelligent insights into your monetization strategy!